Other times, clothes moth larvae will remain in that stage of life for 30 months-2.5 years. However, there is no set time for larvae to decide it’s time to transform. Imagine finding hundreds of larvae crawling all over your woolen blankets and cashmere sweaters… It’s horrifying.Īnd as you can imagine, they do not stop until it is time to become a cocoon. With an insatiable hunger, the newly hatched larvae swarm their food source and gnaw away, gaining nourishment that helps them grow. The next stage is where moths are most destructive. It usually takes 4-10 days for moth eggs to hatch, though this depends greatly on humidity and temperature levels. These are not laid all at once but over a short span of days. Sometimes, that number is as high as 100 eggs. Upon choosing an appropriate nest, adult female webbing moths and case-bearing moths can lay around 40-50 eggs at a time. Knowing the life of a moth is important when trying to handle an infestation, too.Īt the beginning of a moth life cycle, there is the egg. Each stage represents a significant step in a moth’s lifespan. There are four stages of the moth life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupa/cocoon, and adult. Like most moths, clothes and carpet moths have a distinct life cycle. They have mottled black and brown wings with a fringe at the bottom edge. They are more active at night and will become less active the older they get.Ĭase-bearing or Case Making Moths (Tinea pellionella) are seen throughout the year. Furthermore, because these fabrics can hold moisture, in which moths and their larvae can “drink” from, any food, drink, or sweat stains will make moths gravitate to clothing or carpets.Īlso known as a Common Clothes Moth, the webbing moth (Tineola bisselliella) is golden around the head and has whitish wings. This is why case making moths and webbing moths will build colonies where keratin rich fibers are present, such as your silks, furs, and wools. The two species of moth that feed on fabrics-or rather, the keratin present in fabrics-are the webbing moth and case making/case-bearing moth. If they are chewing away on your clothes, then the antique rug is also at risk. However, there is no actual difference between carpet and clothes moths. Identifying Carpet and Clothes Moths is simplified by looking at their colouring and size, though they are usually classified by whatever they have infested, such as your closet. There are a few species of moths that prey on the keratin fibers of clothing and carpets.
Here is everything you need to know about the moth life cycle. If you have a moth problem, you need to know their life cycle, so you can target them during the most opportune moment. Not only will the larvae chew holes in your expensive wool clothing or antique carpets, but they can leave an unsightly mess behind too.
It’s not the adult winged moths themselves but their larvae that are rice-sized gods of cloth destruction. The Moth Life Cycle of Common Clothes and Carpet Moths January 19, 2021ĭespite their tiny size and often harmless appearance, carpet and clothes moths can unleash untold levels of chaos in your home.
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